ReadWrite - bizhttp://readwrite.com/tag/biz
enCopyright 2015 Wearable World Inc.http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssTue, 03 Mar 2015 11:48:26 -0800Just How Hard Is It To Get And Use A 3D Printer? <!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01b2f9d8e0018266" tml-render-position="center" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a2.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyNDM0ODQ4NDE2NjIzODk3.jpg" /></figure></div><p>3D printing seems to be everywhere these days, used to create everything from handguns to headphones. But what does it really take to get started: How much does it cost, how difficult is it to use, and how do you actually get your hands on a 3D printer?</p><p>Last week, a law student from the University of Texas in Austin leased a printer made by <a href="http://www.stratasys.com">Stratasys</a>, the <a href="http://www.uprint3dprinting.com/3d-printers/3d-printer-uprint.aspx">uPrint SE 3D</a>. He wanted it to create a prototype of a 3D-printable handgun. Turns out Stratasys didn't much like that idea, so it took back the printer, saying the student's lack of a firearms manufacturer's license made what he wanted to do illegal. (For more on this topic, see John Paul Titlow's story on&nbsp;<a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how-3d-printing-is-inflaming-the-gun-control-debate.php">How 3D Printing Is Inflaming The Gun Control Debate</a>.)</p><p>A&nbsp;<a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/10/08/eu-industrialpolicy-idINL6E8L8NYP20121008">Reuters story&nbsp;</a>, meanwhile,&nbsp;found that the European Union is asking member countries to invest in 3D printing technology to speed up and raise manufacturing output.</p><p>So just how hard is it for an average person get access to one and actually start making things?&nbsp;</p><p>Why would you want a 3D printer, anyway? Because you can make just about anything with one. From utensils to iPhone cases and apparently weaponry, 3D printers can create just about anything your imagination (and a quality computer-aided drafting and design - CADD - software) can create. It's like an Easy Bake Oven for computer geeks.</p><p></p><div tml-image="ci01b2f9d950016d19"><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyNDM0ODUwMjk1NjcyMDg5.jpg" /></figure></div><h2>How Much Do 3D Printers Cost?</h2><p>Until fairly recently, 3D printers were available only to major industries to create prototypes or cheap and functional products. Now, anyone can get do-it-yourself 3D printing kits from sites like <a href="http://www.makerbot.com/">MakerBot </a>for about $1,500.</p><p>If you want a more sophisticated machine, though, you'll probably have to deal with a sales rep. That's how Stratasys, the company currently embattled with the law student, sell its machines. The company offers leasing programs for its printers that range from $185/month to $299/month. If you wanted to buy one flat out with no leasing, you'd have to pony up about $10,000. Just this year, CNET <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/3d-printers/solidoodle-3d-printer-2nd/4505-33809_7-35288066.html">reviewed</a> three different types of consumer-available 3D printers that you can log on and buy, no sales rep needed, with prices ranging from $500 to $2,000.&nbsp;</p><p>If you don't have a printer of your own, you can still get 3D models printed out through a service, kind of like a 3D version of FedEx Kinkos. <a href="http://www.shapeways.com">Shapeways</a>, a startup in New York, offers this service: just upload your model idea to the site, choose your materials, and Shapeways will give you a pricing estimate. Within a few weeks, the company will print it out and ship it to you. For particularly creative users who are good with software, the company offers product ideas that you can custom design and build.</p><h2>How Do They Work?</h2><p> The process these printers create models is fairly simple. Using a design from a CADD program, they turn 3D images into a series of thin, horizontal, virtual layers until a virtual version of what is to eventually be printed is modeled on screen. These CADD designs can be found online, or created by scanning a physical object. Designing complex objects from scratch requires a certain amount of skill and training.</p><div tml-image="ci01b2f9d990016d19"><figure><img src="http://a1.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyNDM0ODUxOTA2Mjg0ODI1.jpg" /></figure></div><p>Depending on the machine and the project, different materials can be used to construct the model. For the cheaper machines, plastic or resin is commonly used, while more industrial projects can employ powered metals, alloys or polycarbonate materials. There are even food-grade printers that use chocolate and sugar to create edible models.</p><p>Layer by layer, the machine lays the image out on to a heated platform. 3D systems at home printer&nbsp;<a href="http://cubify.com/cube/">Cube</a> includes a platform glue that keeps the base of the project steady during printer and washes off with water. Once it's printed and cooled, you'll have a tactile version of something that used to just occupy space in your head.&nbsp;</p><p>If you are itching to print something, but are not particularly creative, a site from Makerbot, <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com">Thingiverse</a> can offer up a few ideas. The open-source community has instructions on how to print your own products (like these <a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:31392">functional headphones</a> that made tech bloggers drool a few days ago) and provides an overall glimpse into the world of 3D printing and creativity.</p>3D printing seems to be everywhere these days, used to create everything from handguns to headphones. But what does it really take to get started: How much does it cost, how difficult is it to use, and how do you actually get your hands on a 3D printer?http://readwrite.com/2012/10/15/how-hard-is-it-to-get-and-use-a-3d-printer
http://readwrite.com/2012/10/15/how-hard-is-it-to-get-and-use-a-3d-printerWebMon, 15 Oct 2012 03:30:00 -0700Christina OrtizWant Microsoft Office For Christmas? Sorry, Only Developers Likely To Get It<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01b2f90350028266" tml-render-position="center" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyNDMzOTMxMTcyNjc2MTk4.jpg" /></figure></div><p>Microsoft said Thursday that its latest Office suite has been released to manufacturing, although consumers won't find it under their Christmas tree.</p><p>In fact, the timing of the Office release will be spread out over at least two months, which Microsoft said was necessary to allow&nbsp;various market segments to enjoy the best experience.</p><p>Specifically, customers who purchase a Windows RT tablet Oct. 26 will receive a free preview version of Office, with only the core apps -- Word, PowerPoint, Excel and the oft-overlooked OneNote.</p><p>In mid-November, volume-licensing customers with Software Assurance will be able to download the Office 2013 applications as well as Office products including SharePoint 2013, Lync 2013 and Exchange 2013.</p><p>That’s also when IT professionals and developers will be able to download the final version via TechNet or MSDN subscriptions, and when the new features will be available Office 365 subscribers.</p><p>But consumers? Microsoft isn’t saying with any precision.&nbsp;A standalone download of Office will have to wait until the first quarter of 2013.</p><p>Microsoft indicated the staggered rollout is deliberate.</p><p>“Microsoft's bringing their technologies to market through a wide variety of channels for organizations, IT pros, developers, and consumers and as on-premises products as well as cloud services available in retail, online and from partners,” a company representative said in an emailed statement. “The company is taking time to make sure that the experience customers get through each of these channels is excellent.”</p><p>Still, the company has traditionally released its software early to developers via MSDN and TechNet; Microsoft released Windows 8 via MSDN and TechNet Aug. 15 -- 69 days before the scheduled launch Oct. 25. Adding 69 days to Oct. 25 would put the Office launch on or about Jan. 2, just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show -- except that Microsoft has said it won't participate in CSE anymore.</p><p>“This is the most ambitious release of Office we've ever done," wrote Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president of the Office division, in a&nbsp;<a href="http://blogs.office.com/b/office-news/archive/2012/10/11/office-reaches-rtm.aspx">blog post</a>.&nbsp;"It spans the full family of Office applications, servers and cloud services. The new Office has a fresh, touch friendly design that works beautifully on Windows 8 and unlocks modern scenarios in social, reading, note-taking, meetings and communications. We are proud to achieve this milestone and are eager to deliver this exciting release to our customers.”</p><h2>The Office Versions</h2><p>Microsoft will sell three versions of the traditional Office suite: Home &amp; Student ($139.99), Home &amp; Business ($219.99), and Professional ($399.99). The first two versions will be licensed forever for either one Mac or PC, except for the Professional version, which is PC-only.</p><p>Office 365 will be sold in two versions: Home Premium ($99.99 per household per year) and Small Business Premium ($149.99 per person per year).&nbsp;Each household that buys Office 365 Home Premium can install it on some combination of five Macs and PCs.&nbsp;Small businesses pay by employee - that's just under $300 per year for two, and up from there. (Check out our earlier post on exactly what each Office version offers for what price, as well as our <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/biz/2012/09/do-you-really-want-to-subscribe-to-microsoft-office-yes-you-might.php">advice on what version to buy</a>.)</p><p>Koenigsbauer said there are more launch details to come. In the meantime, consumers can continue to try out the <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/en">consumer preview</a> before the launch, whenever it is.</p>Microsoft said Thursday that its latest Office suite has been released to manufacturing, although consumers won't find it under their Christmas tree.http://readwrite.com/2012/10/12/microsoft-ships-office-to-manufacturing-only-developers-can-expect-it-for-christmas
http://readwrite.com/2012/10/12/microsoft-ships-office-to-manufacturing-only-developers-can-expect-it-for-christmasWebFri, 12 Oct 2012 08:11:00 -0700Mark HachmanAll Eyes Turn To Boomers And How They Use The Internet<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01b2f9f500018266" tml-render-position="center" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a3.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/MTIyNDM0OTY5NDgxMDE0NTUz.gif" /></figure></div><p>If your image of a computer geek is a scruffy, awkward kid in T-shirt and jeans, you may want to think again. The biggest technology adopters may well be the affluent over-50 powerhouse known as the Baby Boomer.</p><h2>The Economic Juggernaut</h2><p>Eighty million Boomers live, work and spend in the United States, nearly a third of the population. If you add the previous generation, the number of 50-plus Americans is 98 million, a segment of the population that's expected to grow 34% between now and 2030, when nearly half of the nation will be aged 50 or over, according to a <a href="http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports-downloads/2012/introducing-boomers--marketing-s-most-valuable-generation.html">recent study from The Nielsen Company</a>.</p><p>That is a huge economic force, one that has been shaping the U.S. private sector for a long time. But unlike previous generations, where the members "age out" of active spending and societal influence, the sheer size of the Boomer generation means that it will continue to be a force for a long time to come. By the middle of the 21st century, Nielsen reckons, there could be around 161 million 50-plus citizens in the country.</p><p>Already, this is a generation heavily influencing technology, just from it's buying power. 41% of Apple customers are Boomers, the Nielsen report states.</p><p>"From a practical standpoint, new technology helps them stay socially and intellectually connected with their contemporary world. Psychologically, it helps them to validate their self-image of being experiential, progressive and perpetually youthful," the report stated.</p><h2>Techno-Boomers' Online Landscape</h2><p>It's not a good idea to plug all Boomers in as ultra-savvy in all things tech. Like their children and grandchildren, they are selective in which elements of technology they like to use. Nielsen paints a picture of "techno-Boomers" -- a subset of the senior crowd who are far more likely to own an electronic reader or an iPhone than the rest of their generation, who tend to gravitate toward desktops and laptops.</p><p>These techno-Boomers, like their kids in Generation X, are 40% more likely to own an iPhone. Curiously, they are much less likely to have a movie download subscription, something unpopular throughout the entire Boomer generation. (Generation X and Millenials are apparently more apt to plunk down for movies online.)</p><p>But Boomers as a whole are online. A lot. Boomers represent a third of all online and social media users. Another third of the generation, 29 million according to Nielsen, are heavy Internet users with 8 million of them spending over 20 hours a week online.</p><p>"Internet users over the age of 50 are driving the growth of social networking as their usage of the social net has nearly doubled to 42% in the past year. 53% of Boomers are on Facebook," Nielsen reported.</p><p>Just after the iPad tablet was released in 2010, wave after wave of anecdotes came out about how fast seniors were adopting the new platform so readily. While the iOS interface was designed and built for the smaller iPhone device, it is probably no accident on the part of Apple's design team to come up with an interface that requires such a small learning curve to operate, making it very marketable for the over-50 crowd.</p><p>Just as it has always done, the Boomer generation again represents something new in the U.S. economy. Rather than declining in spending and population as has other generations, Boomers will only continue to grow as Generation X starts to join them in 2015 when the oldest GenXer turns 50.</p><p>And right now, even before this growth, Boomers alone are expected to account for nearly $230 billion in sales of consumer packaged goods, or 49% of total sales, this year This buying power indicates the out-sized influence that Boomers will have on consumer-facing technology.</p><p><em>Image Courtesy of <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a></em></p>If your image of a computer geek is a scruffy, awkward kid in T-shirt and jeans, you may want to think again. The biggest technology adopters may well be the affluent over-50 powerhouse known as the Baby Boomer.http://readwrite.com/2012/10/10/grandma-p0wns-tech
http://readwrite.com/2012/10/10/grandma-p0wns-techWebWed, 10 Oct 2012 08:20:00 -0700Brian ProffittSQL Injection Hacker Attacks Are On The Rise. Here's How To Defend Your Servers<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Last week, a hacker group claimed that it breached computer systems at 100 major universities. Team GhostShell gained access to servers at Stanford, Harvard, and the University of Michigan, among others. The technique used, SQL injection, is not new or complex, but reportedly it's becoming&nbsp;<a href="http://siliconangle.com/blog/2012/08/13/sql-injection-attacks-rise-as-hackers-go-for-the-money/">increasingly common</a>. Here's a quick guide to defending your servers.</p><h2>Basic Basics</h2><p>We asked researchers at security firm&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sophos.com/en-us/">Sophos</a>&nbsp;to explain what an SQL injection is and how it can be stopped. Before launching into that, though, for laymen, here are a couple things you need to know about an SQL injection before learning how to stop one.</p><ul><li>SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is an international standard for interacting with databases.&nbsp;</li><li>Statements in SQL can retrieve, insert, create and otherwise change data in a database.&nbsp;</li><li>Code injection is a technique used by hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in a website.&nbsp;</li></ul><p>“SQL injection is an old, well established method of attacking systems," said Sophos threat researcher Fraser Howard. "It consists of inserting malicious SQL statements into an application to cause it to perform some undesirable function.”</p><h2>Mechanics Of An Attack</h2><p>Undesirable action sounds nasty. What does it mean exactly? Here are a few examples:</p><ul><li>Dump table (i.e., return a dump of the entire contents of a database table). This is a great way to steal data. Could be used to gain access to a system (dump admin password, then access the system etc.)</li><li>Drop table (delete table contents). Destructive. Attackers do not necessarily gain access to the data, but they can break the system. Data may be irretrievably lost.</li><li>Modify table. Insert additional data into the database table.</li></ul><p>Basically, once a SQL injection has its hooks in your database, it can do whatever the heck the malicious hacker behind it wants. Steal your data (most commonly), delete your data, change your data.&nbsp;</p><p>“Imagine a website where page contents are stored in a database,” Howard wrote. “When you browse the site, the database is queried, and the page shows you whatever information is relevant. For example, a shopping site. You search for carrots, it queries the database and gets the price. The page you view displays this price.” A malicious hacker using SQL injection could download the store's entire stock list, wipe it out, and/or change all the prices (or any other category of information).</p><p>One further problem with SQL injection not related to theft: Hackers can change the query instructions for a Web application. So instead of the application querying its own server and obtaining information, the query can be sent to a server of the hacker’s choice. This can lead to malware infecting a user’s computer.&nbsp;</p><p>Scary stuff, huh?</p><h2>How To Defend Your Servers</h2><p>According to Howard, defense against this type of attack is all about the Web application that is the door to the server. Protect that application and you protect the server. In theory, at least. Most organizations likely will remain vulnerable to a dedicated, sophisticated hacker no matter what they do.&nbsp;</p><p>Not all hackers are so single-minded, so it makes sense to be prepared. Here are the steps Howard recommends to defend against SQL injection attacks:</p><ul><li><strong>Secure programming.</strong> Design applications securely from the start. SQL injection is not new, and there are many books and online resources to help developers build applications that are secure against this attack. The most common vulnerability is an application that doesn't sanity-check user input such as data entered into Web forms. If the input is not checked, an attacker can use such forms to inject malicious instructions.</li><li><strong>Firewalling.</strong>&nbsp;This does not replace secure programming. However, it can add a layer of defense in front of your Web server. Web application firewalls can help to block most attacks.</li></ul><p>Many organizations are vulnerable to SQL injections because they outsource their Web application development, rush production, test poorly and take little regard for security.&nbsp;“Recipe for disaster,” Howard said. “Lots of easy targets out there.”</p><p>In security, the guidelines are usually pretty simple: Take your time, factor security into everything you do, and use common sense. Security might seem like the boring part of what you do, but if you do not pay attention to it, there is a hacker just waiting to break into your databases and steal, destroy, or alter your data.</p>Last week, a hacker group claimed that it breached computer systems at 100 major universities. Team GhostShell gained access to servers at Stanford, Harvard, and the University of Michigan, among others. The technique used, SQL injection, is not new or complex, but reportedly it's becoming increasingly common. Here's a quick guide to defending…http://readwrite.com/2012/10/10/sql-injection-hacker-attacks-are-on-the-rise-heres-how-to-defend-your-servers
http://readwrite.com/2012/10/10/sql-injection-hacker-attacks-are-on-the-rise-heres-how-to-defend-your-serversWebWed, 10 Oct 2012 04:30:00 -0700Dan RowinskiFake Reviews Shadow Brands Selling Online<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Buying positive product reviews is unethical and sometimes illegal, but always sleazy. Yet the practice flourishes on popular sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Places and Amazon, according to research firm Gartner.</p><p>Online reviews, especially those posted at marketplaces like Amazon, are more popular purchasing tools than is word of mouth, according to a <a href="http://econsultancy.com/us/blog/9765-consumers-now-pay-more-attention-to-online-reviews-than-word-of-mouthtarget=">survey by Econsultancy</a>. And bloggers remain a popular target for trading positive critiques for cash, coupons and promotions.</p><p>But just as attractive are social networks, which are where more than half of the Internet gathers. With so many potential customers in one place, companies are desperate to build follower groups and gather more praise than competitors.</p><h2>The Rise In Bogus Reviews</h2><p>Having watched the online reputations of some brands rise quickly, many execs are ready to pay for even dishonest praise to catch up. A <a href="http://arxiv.org/pdf/1204.2804v1.pdf">study by Cornell University</a> found that from 2% to 6% of reviews on Expedia, Hotels.com, Orbitz, Priceline, TripAdvisor and Yelp were bogus, and that total is rising.</p><p>Companies are paying for Facebook "likes" and Google+ "+1s," along with hits on YouTube videos. The practice is found among media, entertainment, consumer goods, retail and consumer electronics vendors, Gartner says.</p><p>By 2014, Gartner believes 10% to 15% of all social-media reviews and ratings will be “bought” and at least two Fortune 500 companies will face litigation from federal regulators for trying to deceive consumers.</p><h2>Who Sells Buzz?</h2><p>Roughly 50 companies sell buzz on social networks. One example is <a href="http://www.socialjump.com/">Social Jump,</a> which charges $75 for 1,000 Facebook likes. For an extra $10, clients get geo-targeted likes, Gartner said in a recent report, <a href="http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?ref=clientFriendlyUrl&amp;id=2091515">"The Consequences of Fake Fans, 'Likes' and Reviews on Social Networks."</a> The Facebook thumbs-ups comes from real people, not spam bots. Social Jump also sells "+1s" on Google+, followers on Twitter and thousands of views on YouTube videos.</p><p>Other companies operating in the same market include MyFBfans, SocialKik.com and Fan Bullet. Along with these companies are a number of <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/inside-the-mysterious-world-of-online-reputation-management.php">reputation-management organizations</a> paying people to write good reviews for clients.</p><h2>When Fake Reviews Are Illegal</h2><p>Paying a blogger or anyone else to write a glowing review is not illegal, as long as it is disclosed to the reader. Of course, doing so would gut the article's effectiveness, so a lot of times that detail is missing. In 2009, The Federal Trade Commission published guidelines for such disclosures on blogs and other new media and has been ramping up enforcement ever since.</p><p>For the first 18 months, the FTC handed what amounted to a slap to companies who had <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/04/30/ann-taylor-ftc-investigation/">too cozy a relationship</a> to bloggers. By mid-2011, the FTC meant business, <a href="http://paidcontent.org/2011/03/17/419-ftc-fines-company-for-bogus-online-reviews/">fining Legacy Learning Systems $250,000</a> for hiring marketers to get good reviews on sites for one of the company's educational DVD series.</p><h2>Building Consumer Confidence</h2><p>More hefty fines and media exposure of companies paying for positive ratings and reviews is key to building consumer confidence, said Jenny Sussin, a Gartner analyst and co-author of the report. "We actually think that's going to increase consumer trust."</p><p>In August, Facebook announced that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-security/improvements-to-our-site-integrity-systems/10151005934870766">it would start cracking down</a> on likes that didn't come from real fans.</p><p>In an indication that the purge has begun, <a href="http://pagedata.appdata.com/pages/leaderboard/fc/fan_count">PageData reported last month</a> a big drop in likes for popular pages, including Zynga's Texas HoldEm Poker and FarmVille, as well as those of pop singers Rihanna, Lady GaGa and Justin Bieber.</p><p>Separating The Good From The Bad</p><p>Despite efforts to stem illicit reviews, consumers will have to be on guard to spot fakes.</p><p>Sussin recommended reading multiple reviews and watching for details, such as comments about a hotel’s good service but small rooms. Credible reviews typically point out good and bad features.</p><p>Reviews that are over the top in criticism or praise should be suspect. "If something is too inflammatory, you can't trust it," Sussin said. While companies plant good reviews of their own products, they also hire people to badmouth competitors.</p><p>Paid reviews ultimately bring only short-term benefits. The company may get some new customers initially, but a poor product can't withstand the test of time. Such short-sightedness is not new in business, and has driven misleading marketing in the offline world for a long time, keeping regulators busy. The Web won't make their jobs any easier.</p><p></p><p></p>Buying positive product reviews is unethical and sometimes illegal, but always sleazy. Yet the practice flourishes on popular sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Places and Amazon, according to research firm Gartner.http://readwrite.com/2012/10/02/fake-reviews-shadow-brands-selling-online
http://readwrite.com/2012/10/02/fake-reviews-shadow-brands-selling-onlineWebTue, 02 Oct 2012 06:55:00 -0700Antone GonsalvesThe Flipside Of BitTorrent - Why Many Musicians Still Hate It<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01b2fb5df0036d19" tml-render-position="center" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a5.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyNDM2NTIwMjMyNjQzODY1.jpg" /></figure></div><p>Last week, I wrote a <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/biz/2012/09/bittorrent-downloads-booming-and-benefitting-musicians.php">popular post on the continuing popularity of BitTorrent</a>, and&nbsp;how some artists are now choosing to embrace it as a marketing tool to expose their music to a wider audience.&nbsp;But many&nbsp;activist musicians disagree with the notions that BitTorrent is anything more than outright theft. Singer-songwriter&nbsp;<a href="http://www.davidlowerymusic.com/home.cfm">David Lowery</a>&nbsp;of the band&nbsp;<a href="http://campervanbeethoven.com/fr_home.cfm">Camper Van Beethoven</a>&nbsp;is a good example.</p><p>For this group of musicians, BitTorrent and other channels for often-illegal file downloads continues to represent a real and present threat to their livelihoods. The only debate in their minds is how to best squash the problem of BitTorrent.</p><h2>Why BitTorrent <em>Doesn't</em> Work</h2><p> You can tell the week probably won't go well when the first email you get on Monday morning comes from a pissed-off rock star, and he's none too happy with you.&nbsp;But that was my start to the week, as Lowery&nbsp;dropped me a line to bust my balls in a humorous way, as he put it, about <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/biz/2012/09/bittorrent-downloads-booming-and-benefitting-musicians.php">BitTorrent Downloads Booming - And Benefitting Musicians</a>.&nbsp;</p><div tml-image="ci01b2fb5e50028266"><figure><img src="http://a1.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyNDM2NTIxODQzMjYyMDU0.jpg" /></figure></div><p>Lowery, whose skills go far beyond music and into mathematics and business - he's a lecturer in the <a href="http://www.terry.uga.edu/musicbusiness/">University of Georgia's music business</a> program - disputed the very idea that anyone could successfully make a go of using BitTorrent as a way of increasing exposure for musicians.</p><p>"In particular for the last 18 months I have studied in detail BitTorrent activity for my critically acclaimed cult band Camper Van Beethoven. I also have reams of data on file sharing and searches at Cyberlocker sites. You really think there are no lost sales in BitTorrent activity?" Lowery wrote. "Can I have some of what you are smoking? Why would you search for a song called 'Take the Skinheads Bowling' unless you heard the song? There are no current magazine articles on Camper Van Beethoven, TV shows, or mentions on squidbillies. They heard it and they wanted it. Occam's Razor, dude."</p><h2>It's All About The Middle Class</h2><p> In particular, Lowery is very concerned about the "middle class" of artists who are getting the worst hit by illegal file sharing. Big name artists, he argued, can weather lost sales, and smaller artists are busy trying to do anything to catch a break. But the non-superstar successes are getting squeezed hard by file sharing.</p><div tml-image="ci01b2fb5ea0038266"><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyNDM2NTIyOTE3MjAwNDg2.jpg" /></figure></div><p>"You should hang out in a town like Athens, Georgia… where I teach. There are at least 60 small national/regional touring acts, The middle class of the music business. I've not met one that is honestly cool with people sharing files instead of buying them," Lowery stated.</p><p>So what about artists like Ed Sheeran in the UK, who <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/19584119">recently said in a BBC interview</a>, "You can live off your sales and you can allow people to illegally download it and come to your gigs. My gig tickets are £18 and my album is £8, so it's all relative." How does this position fit with Lowery's point of view?</p><p>"Ed Sheeran clearly has never looked at his own show settlement sheet, if he thinks he's making 18 pounds a show. He and his touring party is lucky to gross 9 pounds minus management and agent fees (15% and 20% in UK - much higher than US) Then he pays touring expenses. I bet he nets the same or less per fan live than he would from a decent record deal per fan. And of course most artists are lucky if they manage to play for twenty percent of those who bought/"shared" their CD that year," Lowery replied. "Still he's in the top tier, so I bet he makes a decent amount of money. For now.</p><p>"There are no major stars with significant sales that have used BitTorrent. Counting Crows did this year for an EP and then mysteriously pulled out after a couple weeks. No announcement. Totally scrubbed from BitTorrent site. Smells bad," he added.</p><h2>Creative Conundrum</h2><p>Lowery's experience in the music industry has led him to a pretty pragmatic insight demonstrating that BitTorrent doesn't really work.</p><p>"Most artists and labels are not creative thinkers. They follow the latest trend or style cause that's where the money is. When college radio or Grey's Anatomy is successful for one artist/label. Everybody tries the exact same thing," he explained. "If BitTorrent is really is a way for artists/labels to increase revenue they will be on it like a flash mob. That flash mob should have happened by now."</p><p>Lowery is certainly not alone in his disapproval of BitTorrent, but he's no ally of the Recording Industry Association of America (<a href="http://www.riaa.com/">RIAA</a>). Lowery's concern is mostly with that of the musicians like himself. He does, however, get frustrated with what he sees as straw man arguments that paint RIAA as an evil business monstrosity that somehow justifies the practice of illegal downloads.</p><h2>It's Not Just An RIAA Issue</h2><p>Lowery's concerns are mostly shared by Casey Rae, co-director of the <a href="http://futureofmusic.org">Future of Music Coalition</a>. But their preferred solutions are pretty different.</p><p> For Lowery, the solution is advocating and creating the environment for an ethical Internet. For Rae and the rest of the FMC, it's more about creating much easier access to music - so easy, in fact, that the desire to use illegal file sharing will be greatly reduced.</p><div tml-image="ci01b2fb5f20018266"><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTIyNDM2NTI0Nzk2MDUyMDcw.png" /></figure></div><p>"We believe artists should be paid for their work," Rae explained, and that's the environment his organization is trying to set up.</p><p>It's not particularly easy. The major record labels in the US are still living in the past and their licensing process reflects that. Negotiating digital sales or streaming rights for a music catalog can take up to two years, and labels often want their cash up front.</p><p>The problem is so acute, Rae added, that when Spotify finally came to the U.S., the Swedish company had to give up some of its own equity to the three major record labels to get them onboard. "The music and motion picture industry are still working under a scarcity model," Rae lamented. "Unfortunately the Internet doesn't recognize scarcity."</p><p>And Rae does not care for the RIAA's tactics of litigation and legislation. "We need to wallpaper the Internet with available content."</p><p>That available content will probably be streaming content, if Rae's predictions hold. Even the "traditional" paid download services lie Amazon, Apple and Google are shifting to the cloud model, where local downloads become the backup for the user's music collection in the cloud.</p><p>If licensing music can become a more streamlined process, Rae envisions a world where illegal downloads will be pointless, since songs can be easily found and played on demand. Artists and their labels will receive equitable payment, and the wave of illegal piracy should start to subside.</p><p>The technology is already there. Now it's a matter for the business processes to catch up.</p><p><em>Lead image Courtesy of <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a>.</em></p><p><em>Camper Van Beethoven image&nbsp;originally posted to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr">Flickr</a> by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/74174844@N00/311798604">Clinton Steeds</a>.&nbsp;It is&nbsp;licensed under the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Creative_Commons">Creative Commons</a><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en">Attribution 2.0 Generic</a> license.</em></p>Last week, I wrote a popular post on the continuing popularity of BitTorrent, and how some artists are now choosing to embrace it as a marketing tool to expose their music to a wider audience. But many activist musicians disagree with the notions that BitTorrent is anything more than outright theft. Singer-songwriter David…http://readwrite.com/2012/09/28/the-flipside-of-bittorrent
http://readwrite.com/2012/09/28/the-flipside-of-bittorrentPlayFri, 28 Sep 2012 05:00:00 -0700Brian ProffittSmall Business Owners Renew Pay-For-Play Allegations Against Yelp<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01b2fb7de0016d19" tml-render-position="center" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a1.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTIyNDM2NjU2NTk3ODYwOTY2.png" /></figure></div><p>Yelp, the leading website for online reviews of restaurants, hotels and other service-based businesses, has long denied ongoing allegations of pay-for-play. But small business owners continue to insist their good reviews are being held hostage until they agree to buy advertising.</p><p>Go to the <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/traxnyc-manhattan-2">Yelp page for TraxNYC</a>, a Manhattan jeweler, and you see the dreaded one star, based on just one review. An employee of the jeweler responded to the review and even said the company would consider issuing a refund.</p><p>Still, that one-star review stings, and it means TraxNYC sinks to the bottom of search results when people search Yelp (or even Google, which gives added heft to Yelp pages) for jeweler recommendations</p><p>The problem, according to Jen Lim of <a href="http://www.traxnyc.com/">TraxNYC</a>, is that single review is not the jeweler’s only review on Yelp. If you click on the barely noticeable “filtered reviews” button and then go through a reCAPTCHA protocol to prove “you’re not a robot,” you’ll see 10 additional reviews, nine of which rate the company five stars.</p><p></p><div tml-image="ci01b2fb7e60038266"><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTIyNDM2NjU4NzQ1NDcwMjMz.png" /></figure></div><p>Lim, and a dozen other small business owners interviewed by ReadWriteWeb, are all crying foul over the situaton, saying the good reviews were filtered only after they refused to buy or canceled advertising on Yelp.</p><p>“We chose not to advertise with Yelp and since then, all our good reviews get filtered,” Lim said. “It's predatory at its best and I am sure our business suffers for it.”</p><h2>Pay-For-Play Or Overzealous Algorithm?</h2><p>It’s not the first time Yelp has faced pay-for-play charges, and, as it has for other media inquiries on the issue, the company denied the allegations, saying the automated review filter keeps “content as useful and trustworthy as possible.”&nbsp;</p><p>Darnell Holloway, Yelp’s manager of local business outreach, denied that Yelp’s filtering algorithm gives preferential treatment to advertisers or punishes non-advertisers.</p><p>“Let me be perfectly clear: the review filter applies the same set of rules to everybody, and we do not have a pay-for-play system,” Holloway said. “We take a very serious stance when it comes to review quality on site.”</p><p>Holloway said a small business owner will begin paying attention to their Yelp page after they are contacted by one of the company’s sales reps. Some may start soliciting reveiws from family and friends, which the filter weeds out, and that may be fueling the appearance that Yelp is punishing advertisers.</p><p>“If those solicited reviews get picked up by the filter, the business owner may develop a correlation between the sales person’s call and the filtered reviews,” he said.</p><p>Yelp claims it is trying to curtail the paid review sites that promises small businesses good reviews for a fee. It also says its filter protects small businesses from reviews left by competitors or disgruntled employees.&nbsp;</p><p>Todd William, founder of <a href="http://www.reputationrhino.com/">Reputation Rhino</a>, an <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/inside-the-mysterious-world-of-online-reputation-management.php">online reputation management company</a>, said he has one client with 19 published reviews and 365 additional reviews caught in the filter. Still, William takes Yelp’s claims at face value and thinks the problem is with the algorithm that filters messages.</p><p>“While I am sure a ‘hard sell’ by certain Yelp representatives may suggest otherwise, the problem for Yelp is an inadequate and ineffective filter system,” William said. “The Yelp filter system favors active Yelp members comments and reviews. New Yelp members are almost always relegated to the filter to prevent fraud, but this unfortunately penalizes well-meaning customers who merely want to show their appreciation for a positive experience with a company and do not have the time or inclination to complete a profile, comment actively on others' businesses, socialize with other Yelp members or otherwise engage the Yelp community.”</p><h2>Advertisers Get Some Preferential Treatment</h2><p>But the same small businesses Yelp says it is trying to protect from phony reviews aren’t so sure the company is being forthright in its explanations.</p><p>Jon Katz, CEO of <a href="http://www.katzmoving.com/">Katz Moving</a>, said he has been hit by negative Yelp reviews since first refusing an offer to advertise on Yelp in 2008.</p><p>“I was getting about three to four phone calls a day about advertising with them,” Katz said. “After about 45 days they started to ‘filter’ our reviews... And then all of a sudden we went from having eight 5-star and one 4-star reviews to having three, then two reviews stay on our page.”</p><p>Katz said he has spent the past several years trying to work around negative reviews. During that time he has paid close attention to competitors that <em>do</em> pay to advertise on Yelp and has noticed that once a company advertises:</p><ul><li>Yelp filters more negative reviews</li><li>Yelp mixes in older good reviews while pushing newer, low-rating reviews lower on the page.</li><li>Yelp allows advertisers to choose whether they want their ad displayed on a non-advertising competitor’s Yelp page.</li></ul><p>Holloway denied Kat's first two allegations, but did concede advertisers can purchase packages that remove competitors ads from their Yelp results as well as search placement ads that would allow their ad to be displayed on a competitor's Website.</p><p>The whole truth about exactly what's happening here may never be entirely clear. But it's a safe bet that concerns about these issues won't go away as long as Yelp reviews have an effect on retailers' bottom line. &nbsp;</p>Yelp, the leading website for online reviews of restaurants, hotels and other service-based businesses, has long denied ongoing allegations of pay-for-play. But small business owners continue to insist their good reviews are being held hostage until they agree to buy advertising.http://readwrite.com/2012/09/27/small-business-owners-renew-pay-for-play-allegations-against-yelp
http://readwrite.com/2012/09/27/small-business-owners-renew-pay-for-play-allegations-against-yelpWebThu, 27 Sep 2012 05:30:00 -0700Dave CopelandSorry, Google: Why Yahoo Remains Stuck With Microsoft's Bing<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01b2f903b0056d19" tml-render-position="center" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a1.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTIyNDMzOTMzMDUxNzI0Mzkw.png" /></figure></div><p>It all makes sense: prominent ex-Googler Marissa Mayer takes over Yahoo, which uses Microsoft's Bing as its search provider. But Microsoft has failed to live up to its contract with Yahoo, leaving Yahoo free to sign a search deal with Google, right? Wrong.</p><p>In fact, the Department of Justice blocked a similar arrangement in 2008. And according to one lawyer who served in the DOJ’s Antitrust Division for more than a decade, the DOJ would be fully prepared to do it again. Unfortunately for Yahoo, that means that Microsoft's failure to provide high-value search results won't let it off the hook.&nbsp;</p><p>In other words, Yahoo could be legally prevented from turning away from a search technology provider - Microsoft, and its search service, Bing - that has consistently failed to meet its contractual expectations. It would likely&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;be free to choose a new partner - Google - instead. Talk about a bad date that won't end.</p><h2>An Opportunity Knocks?</h2><p>Google chairman Eric Schmidt met with reporters early Tuesday morning in Tokyo, where he was on hand to launch the company's <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/mobile/2012/06/the-android-nexus-7-tablet-and-jelly-bean-explained.php">Nexus 7 tablet</a> in Japan. Schmidt took Apple to task for choosing to develop its own <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/apples-map-misstep-is-rivals-biggest-opening-yet.php">spotty Maps application</a>, and also reportedly expressed interest in replacing Bing as Yahoo’s search provider.</p><p><em>Forbes</em>’ Eric Jackson <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/09/25/eric-schmidt-says-google-would-love-to-replace-">confirmed</a> with Dow Jones reporter Kenneth Maxwell that Schmidt at least expressed an interest in working with Yahoo. “Yes, I can confirm, Eric Schmidt definitely said they’d be interested in working with Yahoo U.S.,” Maxwell told Jackson. “He also said nothing doing for the time being, but they would be interested.”</p><p>Representatives for Google could not be reached for comment.</p><p></p><div tml-image="ci01b2f90430016d19"><figure><img src="http://a2.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTIyNDMzOTM1MTk5MjAyNTg1.png" /></figure></div><h2>Bing Is Not Doing The Job</h2><p>Why would Yahoo like to sever ties with Microsoft? Because, to be frank, Bing hasn't delivered.</p><p>Under the <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/us_and_eu_approve_microsoftyahoo_search_deal.php">agreement approved in 2010</a>, Microsoft's Bing powers Yahoo's own search engine on Yahoo's sites, while Microsoft gets an exclusive 10-year license to Yahoo's search technology. Yahoo receives 88% of all the revenues from search ads on its site for the first five years of the agreement - and it handles the sales for Microsoft's and Yahoo's premium search advertising inventory. Yahoo’s role was to surround the search results with its own rich content, selling ads to high-volume advertisers; Microsoft represented smaller, self-service clients.</p><p>The key, though, was a metric that wasn’t in the original press release: a Revenue Per Search (RPS) guarantee that protected Yahoo. If Microsoft could truly provide a better experience than Yahoo’s own search technology, fine. But if Microsoft failed to hit that undisclosed number, Microsoft would be forced to pay Yahoo an also undisclosed penalty.</p><p>But Microsoft hasn’t hit its numbers. Not once. As Search Engine Land <a href="http://searchengineland.com/yahoo-microsoft-search-alliance-google-127843">extensively documented in July</a>, Yahoo first began complaining about the problem in April 2011, citing an undisclosed gap between the actual RPS figure and what Microsoft was obligated to provide. In July and October, Microsoft reduced the gap by 20% and 10%, respectively. But since then, Microsoft’s progress has tailed off: improving between 5% and 9% in January, and nothing in April and July.</p><p><a href="http://searchengineland.com/yahoo-microsoft-search-alliance-google-127843">The wrinkle, however, is that the RPS agreement has a fixed lifespan</a>; it was originally supposed to expire sometime this year. But last October, Yahoo interim chief executive Tim Morse <a href="http://seekingalpha.com/article/300428-yahoo-s-ceo-discusses-q3-2011-results-earnings-call-transcript">extended the RPS agreement</a> until March 2013.</p><p>So what can Microsoft do to improve? For now, company representatives aren’t saying. But Microsoft is also keeping its chin up. “We continue to work closely with Yahoo and have seen improved RPS performance,” Tom Phillips, senior director of Microsoft Advertising, said in an email statement to ReadWriteWeb. “It is a long road, but we’re making progress and are confident we’ll get there together.”</p><h2>The Google Option</h2><p>As far as search technology is concerned, U.S. companies really have only two options: Google and Microsoft’s Bing. Within the U.S., Google’s network of sites commanded 66.8% of all queries in July, ComScore said, followed by Bing at 15.7%. Yahoo’s own Bing-powered sites ranked third, at 13.0%. The market then drops into the dregs: Ask.com at 3.1%, and AOL at 1.5%.</p><p>China’s Baidu could be considered a third choice, although its market strength in China is as much a testament to &nbsp;Google’s decision to back out of search in China in 2010 as to&nbsp;its own expertise. Apple attached Baidu’s search to an upgrade of its iPhones and iPads in China in June.</p><p>Yahoo’s new chief executive, Marissa Mayer, clearly understands the value that Google brings to the search table. She undoubtedly knows exactly how much a typical display ad sells for on Google, and knows that developing a composite user profile from a Google user’s email, calendar, location and other sources of information makes him or her more valuable than someone who is not logged in.</p><p>According to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/here-is-the-plan-marissa-mayer-just-announced-to-yahoo-employees-2012-9">Business Insider</a>, Mayer’s priorities include “user growth, ad sales, improving ad tools, and attracting better talent,” based upon an all-hands meeting she held this week.</p><p>So, if Bing isn't cutting it, &nbsp;ex-Googler Mayer can strike a search deal with her old employer, right?</p><p>Wrong.</p><p></p><div tml-image="ci01b2f904b0016d19"><figure><img src="http://a5.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTIyNDMzOTM3MDc4MjU2MjMw.png" /></figure></div><h2>Why Google Is <em>Not</em> An Option</h2><p>In 2008, Google and Yahoo struck a proposed advertising deal that would have done just that. But the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division was preparing a formal investigation of the arrangement, according to the <em>Washington Post</em>. The deal also attracted the attention of Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wisc., chairman of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee, who promised to hold hearings about this issue on Capitol Hill.</p><p>Allen P. Grunes, a shareholder at Washington D.C. law firm of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bhfs.com/">Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck</a>, who worked in the DOJ’s Antitrust Division from 1995 until 2007, said that the same antitrust triggers that attracted the DOJ’s attention four years ago would fire again. He also confirmed the <em>Post</em>’s report.</p><p>“I meant that if it [Yahoo] tried to resurrect the agreement, it would be investigated again,” Grunes said in an email. “And since the market conditions haven't changed much if at all, the outcome would likely be the same. In other words, if Yahoo went over to Google, it would be an invitation for a lawsuit.”</p><p>Grunes also noted that Google is battling its own antitrust investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, which <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/f-t-c-still-expects-to-resolve-google-antitrust-inquiry-by-years-end/">Jon Leibowitz, the chairman of the commission, said it would like to settle by year’s end</a>. Google already agreed to pay a record $22.5 million civil penalty to settle charges that it misrepresented to users of Apple’s Safari Internet browser that it would not place tracking “cookies” or serve targeted ads to those users, violating an earlier privacy settlement. And Google and Yahoo might attempt to wait out the FTC’s investigation until next year, when the RPS agreement expires.</p><p>According to Grunes, Google should instead choose to keep a low profile. “Google would be nuts to sign a deal with Yahoo in the middle of the FTC investigation,” he said. “But stranger things have happened. They usually do not end well, however.”</p>It all makes sense: prominent ex-Googler Marissa Mayer takes over Yahoo, which uses Microsoft's Bing as its search provider. But Microsoft has failed to live up to its contract with Yahoo, leaving Yahoo free to sign a search deal with Google, right? Wrong.http://readwrite.com/2012/09/27/sorry-google-why-yahoo-may-be-stuck-with-microsofts-bing
http://readwrite.com/2012/09/27/sorry-google-why-yahoo-may-be-stuck-with-microsofts-bingWebThu, 27 Sep 2012 04:00:00 -0700Mark HachmanHow "Big-Data-as-a-Service" Can Help Smaller Companies Compete<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01b27a5590016d19" tml-render-position="center" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a2.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyMjk0NjQ2NzI1NDM4NzQ1.jpg" /></figure></div><p>The common perception of how big data is used centers around giant multi-national enterprises spending millions trying to fine tune their business strategies to eke out every last penny from their customers. But in reality, big data is worming its way into businesses large and small, often as a service instead of on-premises software.</p><h2>The Evolution Of The Comment Card</h2><p>Visit a bustling diner in a small town and you may see them tucked in among the bottles of ketchup and sugar packets on the linoleum counter: 3 X 5 comment cards. How was your meal? How was your service? Fill it out and tuck it in the little wooden box by the cash register, please.</p><p>Regulars might make their concerns known directly to the staff, but diners such as this - like nearly every other business in the world - need to attract and keep new customers in order to grow. That's the point behind comment cards: get as much feedback as you can so you to improve what needs fixing and keep doing what's working well.</p><p>Moving the comment card into the 21st Century is essentially what big data is all about.</p><p>The most common form of big data in busines today was created as a technological response to tracking all of the data that was generated by commercial websites. Once marketers and other business execs saw that they could monitor an online customer's responses all the way down to the mouse click, software engineers started figuring out a way to keep that data and mine it for ever more useful information.</p><p>The combination of speed and volume needed to catch all of this information is what makes big data tools and technology really necessary. But for the vast majority of businesses that do not have big ecommerce sites, is big data even worth the attempt?</p><p>It turns out, yes.</p><h2>Big Data Tools Work For Small Data, Too</h2><p>One of the easier ways smaller businesses are taking on big data is seeing the general value of data analytics no matter how big or small the data set is. That message is practically a non-brainer: business owners are scanning the headlines every day and getting excited about applying data to their decision-making process.</p><p>Social media is one quick way to implement big data within a smaller business. Used and analyzed properly, the information from social media can give <em>any</em> business instant feedback that's far more robust and immediate than those old-fashioned comment cards.</p><p>"Every time we perform a search, tweet, send an email, post a blog, comment on one, use a cell phone, shop online, update our profile on a social networking site, use a credit card, or even go to the gym, we leave behind a mountain of data, a digital footprint, that provides a treasure trove of information about our lifestyles, financial activities, health habits, social interactions, and much more," wrote former Tivoli CEO Frank Moss in his 2011 book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sorcerers-Their-Apprentices-Innovative-Technologies/dp/0307589102">The Sorcerers and Their Apprentices</a>.</p><h2>Big-Data-as-a-Service (BDaaS)</h2><p>Using big data can go beyond mining social media as a juiced-up form of the comment card. Big data can also be integrated with existing business practices to improve and expand day-to-day operations.</p><p>It's becoming pretty well-known that big data and fast data analysis are being used by large hotels and chains to <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/social-deals-with-less-pain-more-gain.php">improve their yield management processes</a>. This kind of infrastructure is typically beyond the reach of smaller hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts. It's probably overkill anyway: while a big hotel near Orlando, Fla., area might see 75 room pricing changes per day, a small independent lodging in a less-volatile market might only see a couple of price moves daily.</p><p>But that doesn't make the need for a smaller inn to adjust to local market changes any less important, says Erik Hovanec, CEO of <a href="http://www.leisurelink.com/">LeisureLink</a>, which specializes in providing yield-management as a service to smaller hospitality locations.</p><p>One of LeisureLink's clients is a 120-room property outside Myrtle Beach, SC, that "is great at hospitality, not necessarily at IT." Hovanec described. Using his company's service, the property is able to tap into information about local Myrtle Beach hotels and see real-time pricing information on other properties and make adjustments accordingly.</p><p>This is exactly what the larger hotels and chains have been doing for a while. But now this service is available to smaller, mid-market establishments. Typically, a large hotel or chain might invest $30-$40 million just to increase their yield management from 90% to 95%. Hovanec boasts that since LeisureLink's service is often the first real step into automated yield management for smaller hotels, their efficiency in yield management can rocket from 20% to 80%.</p><h2>Can Big Data Work For Every Business?</h2><p>At some point, any company considering a big-data approach needs to consider the one basic question: is there information out there that will help improve the business? If there's a yes in there, then a search for a big data solution might be worth the effort.</p><p>It's not that we really need another another "as-a-Service" acronym, but thanks to the use of Internet-based Big-Data-as-a-Service (BDaaS), you don't have to be a giant enteprise to play any more. These days, there's a good chance that someone out there will have the information you need or can help you find it.</p><p><em>Image Courtesy of <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a></em></p>The common perception of how big data is used centers around giant multi-national enterprises spending millions trying to fine tune their business strategies to eke out every last penny from their customers. But in reality, big data is worming its way into businesses large and small, often as a service instead of on-premises software.http://readwrite.com/2012/09/26/big-data-effective-beyond-the-enterprise
http://readwrite.com/2012/09/26/big-data-effective-beyond-the-enterpriseWebWed, 26 Sep 2012 05:30:00 -0700Brian ProffittDo You Really Want to Subscribe to Microsoft Office? Yes, You Might<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01b2f92cf0006d19" tml-render-position="center" tml-render-size="large"><figure><img src="http://a5.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIyNDM0MTA5NjgyMzE0NTIx.jpg" /></figure></div><p>For the first time this fall, consumers will have the choice between subscribing to Microsoft Office as a service - <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/enterprise/2012/07/the-new-office-365-baby-steps-in-the-right-direction.php">Office 365</a> - or buying a traditional license for the productivity software. The decision isn't simple: you'll pay less upfront for a subscription, but you may be allowing Microsoft's hand in your pocket for the rest of your days.</p><p>Consumers who want to upgrade their Microsoft Office software this fall have to ask themselves a hard question: "Do I want to subscribe to Office like I would a magazine - or continue to buy it like a book?"</p><p>If you want to subscribe, Microsoft is more than willing to help you out. For the first time, consumers will be able to buy an Office 365 subscription, paying for either a home or small business edition of Office for a one-time annual fee that covers five PCs or Macs. And you could end up paying just $1.66 per device per month for a continually updated piece of software.</p><p>If at any point down the road you decide not to pay anymore, however, Office goes away. And for the customer who’s not all that convinced that Microsoft offers compelling reasons to upgrade from generation to generation of Office, that might be the best bet. Instead, you can buy the traditional “packaged” copy of Office, trading a higher up-front price for a perpetual license.</p><p>And, this time around, there’s a third aoption: if you buy a <a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/the-15-things-you-need-to-know-about-windows-rt.php">Windows RT</a> tablet, Microsoft will throw in the core Office apps - Word, PowerPoint, Excel and the oft-overlooked OneNote - for free.</p><p>It’s a decision that consumers should start thinking about, with the launch of Windows 8 due in a month’s time. Microsoft hasn’t said when the final version Office will be available, but users can <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/office/preview/en">download the preview version from Microsoft’s website</a>.</p><h2><strong>The Pricing Puzzle</strong></h2><p>Microsoft is offering three versions of the traditional Office suite: Home &amp; Student ($139.99), Home &amp; Business ($219.99), and Professional ($399.99). Each version can be licensed by either one Mac or PC, forever, except for the Professional version. That’s PC-only.</p><p>On Office 365, Microsoft is offering two versions: Home Premium ($99.99 per <em>household</em> per year) and Small Business Premium ($149.99 per <em>user</em> per year). Note the italicized terms, as they’re significant. Each household that buys Office 365 Home Premium can install it on some combination of 5 Macs and PCs - that’s where the $1.66 per month per device figure is taken from. &nbsp;Small businesses pay by user - that's just under $300 per year for two, and on up from there.</p><p>The average consumer, then, will probably choose between either Office Home &amp; Student, Office Home &amp; Business and the Office 365 Home Premium subscription.&nbsp;</p><p>To Wes Miller, who covers Office for <a href="http://www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/">Directions on Microsoft</a>, consumers will have to ask themselves three questions:&nbsp;</p><ol><li>How often do you upgrade your version of Office?&nbsp;</li><li>How many machines will you buy it on?&nbsp;</li><li>And will you buy a Windows RT machine?</li></ol><p>For enterprises, these aren’t trivial questions; Directions holds a two-day “boot camp” on <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/Licensing/software-assurance/Default.aspx">Microsoft’s Software Assurance</a>, which provides many of the same benefits as Office 365, including automatic, free version upgrades and multiple languages.</p><p>For a single user with a single PC, the answer is pretty simple: unless you want that quick-and-easy upgrade path that Office 365 offers, choosing between Office Home &amp; Student and Home &amp; Business is the only decision necessary. Basically, the difference is Outlook: Home &amp; Business has it, Home &amp; Student doesn’t. If Outlook is worth an additional $80, you’re done.</p><p>Adding more devices to the mix, plus Office 365, complicates things. On the other end of the spectrum, a household with five Macs and PCs (and that needs Office on all of them) will pay about a total of $700 for Office Home &amp; Student installed on all five devices. That’s $200 more than a five-year Office 365 Home Premium license, which covers those five PCs. Here, Office 365 is probably the way to go, from a financial sense.</p><p>If you’re somewhat in the middle - with three devices, say - features may help sway your decision. Three office Home &amp; Student licenses will cost about $420, a little more than a four-year Office Premium license. Three Office Home &amp; Business installations will cost you $660.&nbsp;</p><p>And why is that $660 figure important? Because Office 365 gives you Outlook <em>and</em> Publisher <em>and</em> Access for free. Microsoft is so eager to push you toward subscriptions that it is pricing them more cheaply than the Home and Business version, and tossing in the two extra applications on top of that. Again, that’s Microsoft pushing you toward the subscription model.&nbsp;</p><p>Office 365 also offers a number of conveniences, including “Office on Demand,” or the ability to stream a virtual version of Office to a PC you’re borrowing or don’t actually own. And documents are automatically saved to Microsoft’s cloud storage, SkyDrive, which you can also access on virtually any Internet-connected device, including mobile phones. For that matter, Office 365 will eventually land on mobile devices as well, although Microsoft hasn’t said when.</p><h2><strong>What Do Subscriptions Mean for Microsoft?</strong></h2><h2>Why is Microsoft pushing subscriptions? Wall Street.</h2><p>“We’re seeing all signs pointing toward Microsoft’s subscriptions not only trying to look but be more appealing outright to consumers than buying an outright software package,” Directions on Microsoft’s Miller said.&nbsp;</p><p>Instead of the spike-then-decline, spike-then-decline buying patterns that accompany new product launches, a recurring revenue model offers Microsoft a more consistent revenue stream. More importantly, it also gently reinforces the notion of paying for Office as a service, Miller said, rather than as a product, ingraining the habit among consumers.</p><p>“It makes for nice, flat-to-gaining revenue year over year, recurring, and it makes the business run more efficiently,” Miller said. “It’s definitely in Microsoft’s best interest.”</p><p>That's different of course, from the question of whether it's in <em>your</em> best interest.</p><p>For Microsoft though, its critical to find out how many people will sign on to the new Office 365 model, and how many will still want the comfort of a perpetual license to avoid having to keep shelling out for Office - albeit with the latest upgrades - for the rest of their lives. A user who may have been turned off by the new “ribbon” design, for example, may prefer to hold on to his older copy of Office and just use that. According to Miller, Office 2013 is one of the more compelling upgrades, with integrated SkyDrive backups as one of the killer features of the software.</p><p>In fact, look to the number of Office 365 subscriptions being one of the questions that will interest Wall Street most in the quarters following the product's launch. For along with magazine subscriptions, cell phone contracts, antimalware licenses and hosted storage, more and more companies are trying to convince you to pay them regularly, and forever for all kinds of software. Microsoft just wants in on the gravy train.</p>For the first time this fall, consumers will have the choice between subscribing to Microsoft Office as a service - Office 365 - or buying a traditional license for the productivity software. The decision isn't simple: you'll pay less upfront for a subscription, but you may be allowing Microsoft's hand in your pocket for the rest of your days.http://readwrite.com/2012/09/24/do-you-really-want-to-subscribe-to-microsoft-office-yes-you-might
http://readwrite.com/2012/09/24/do-you-really-want-to-subscribe-to-microsoft-office-yes-you-mightWebMon, 24 Sep 2012 04:30:00 -0700Mark Hachman